Deeply Rooted Dance Theater to Conclude 20th Season with DEEPLY FREE

As the culminating event of its 20th anniversary season, Deeply Rooted Dance Theater (DRDT) presents "Deeply Free," opening with a program featuring the premiere of South African choreographer Fana Tshabalala's INDUMBA and continuing with performances showcasing works that span the company's history. Performances are December 8-10 at the Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts on the University of Chicago campus, 915 E. 60th Street, Chicago.

Originally intending to illuminate the spiritual impact of unresolved apartheid politics in his native South Africa, Tshabalala spent three weeks in residence with DRDT in July to create an American/Chicago-focused adaptation of INDUMBA. "Indumba" means African healing hut, promising a work of stirring resilience and reconciliation. INDUMBA opens the performance series December 8 as an evening-length work followed by a reflective talkback with Tshabalala, the Artistic Team, the dancers and the audience.

For the December 9 and 10 performances, DRDT showcases its choreographers with recent and early work. Femme, which had its world premiere on the 20th season's opening program in December 2016, celebrates the allure, courage, strength and beauty of women, choreographed by DRDT Dance Education Director and Artistic Team member Nicole Clarke-Springer, with music by Nina Simone. Desire (1994), choreographed by DRDT Co-Founder and Associate Artistic Director Gary Abbott to music by Hans Zimmer, Geoff McCormack and Simon Goldberg, portrays three types of attraction: first sight, physical beauty and young love. Church of Nations, created in 1991 by DRDT Co-Founder and Artistic Director Kevin Iega Jeff, explores the religious, spiritual and political implications of war and its devastating impact on humanity, set to music by Ennio Morricone and The Art Of Noise. Inspired by the music of Stevie Wonder (The Secret Life of Plants, Songs in the Key of Life, Innervisions and others), Jeff's In a Child's Eye tells the story of a little girl's dream journey to a flower community, where she encounters a war between good and evil. Youth from Deeply Rooted Dance Education Programs will perform this work alongside the professional company.

DRDT embarks upon its next 20 years when it presents "Looking to the Future" February 24, 2018 at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts in Skokie. The program features the premiere of Alice by Nicole Clarke-Springer and other works from the repertoire. In the spring, the company tours to Bulgaria followed by performances in New York City.

Premiering in 1996, Deeply Rooted Dance Theater is rooted in traditions of modern, contemporary and African dance, as well as storytelling, in universal themes that spark a visceral experience and ignite an emotional response in diverse audiences worldwide. Collaborating with nationally renowned choreographers across the spectrum of modern, ballet and African dance, DRDT presents work that reflects eclectic voices in contemporary life.

Deeply Rooted's programs are partially supported by the Alphawood Foundation Chicago, the Bloomberg Foundation/AIM, the Chicago Park District, the Chicago Community Trust, the Illinois Arts Council, the Irving Harris Fund, the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE), MacArthur Foundation funds through the Richard H. Driehaus Foundation, the MacArthur Foundation's International Connections Fund, The Martha Struthers Farley and Donald C. Farley, Jr. Family Foundation and the Deeply Rooted Family of Friends. Special thanks to Ballet Chicago and Chicago Dance Forum for their partnership and support.

"Deeply Free," the 20th anniversary season finale, features the premiere of INDUMBA December 8 at 7:30 p.m. and company repertoire December 9 at 7:30 p.m. and December 10 at 2 p.m. at the Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts
on the University of Chicago campus, 915 E. 60th Street, Chicago.
Tickets are $45 for a single program, $65 for both programs.
All programming is subject to change. For tickets and information,
call 312-795-9777 or email tickets@deeplyrooteddancetheater.org. Photos of Deeply Rooted Dance Theater by Ken Carl.
Top left to right: Joshua Ishmon, Dominique Atwood, Pierre Clark.
Bottom left: Joshua Henry.
Bottom right: Tracey Franklin.